Calkins: St. Louis Cardinals' visit to Memphis 'perfect,' BBQ nachos and all

Memphis Redbirds took the field against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Commercial Appeal

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March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.(Photo: Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

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March 30, 2017 - Jhonny Peralta is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - A group of fans clamor to get St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina's attention before the start of the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Matt Adams slides into third before Redbird third baseman, Patrick Wisdom, can get a tag in during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Matt Adams, left, and Redbird third baseman, Patrick Wisdom, laugh together after Adams made it to third base during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Cardinals second baseman signs autographs for fans before the start of the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Yadier Molina celebrates after hitting a home run during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Cardinals center fielder, Dexter Fowler, makes a catch at the wall during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

March 30, 2017 - Scenes from the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.
Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

“We couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Craig Unger, president of the Redbirds. “What a perfect night for baseball.”

Which set it apart from the last couple times the Cardinals came to visit, which were imperfect, and wet.

The 2014 game was rained out. The 2015 game was chilly and cold.

So there was a sense of foreboding earlier in the week, when weather reports suggested more of the same. But by the time the ballpark gates were thrown open at 4 p.m. Thursday, it was all soft breezes and blue skies.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” said Clapp, taking a seat in the dugout for his first media scrum of the new season.

Clapp was here the first time the Cardinals visited this ballpark, of course, for the grand opening on April 1, 2000. Mark McGwire was at that one, signing autographs. Jack Buck said, “I think this is nicer than Wrigley Field.”

Said Tony LaRussa, then the Cardinals manager: “I can see a lot of guys getting called up to the majors and saying they don’t want to go.”

Buck and LaRussa may have been exaggerating just a smidge. But that was the giddy mood at the time. And the return of Clapp as manager is symbolic of the franchise’s larger effort to reconnect the Redbirds with that era and this town.

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March 30, 2017 - Yadier Molina celebrates after hitting a home run during the Memphis Redbirds versus the St. Louis Cardinals "Battle of the Birds" exhibition game at AutoZone Park. This is the beginning of the 20th year of affiliation between the teams.(Photo: Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal, Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)

“I remember the electricity in the air, I remember the chills of everybody standing for the guys,” Clapp said. “I would hope we could recreate that for this group of guys here and give them that special feeling that we had.”

No, the Redbirds aren’t going to draw nearly 900,000 people, like they did in 2001. But Thursday was a sellout, and a reminder that AutoZone Park isn’t just any minor-league park.

“We love it,” said Jim Tusek, who drove to the game from his home in Normal, Ill. “We got a five-pack of tickets this year.”

Franklin and Pam Diggs posed for a selfie in front of home plate. Pam took two vacation days so they could drive over from Arkansas for the game.

This is how everyone talks about AutoZone Park, even 17 seasons in. It may be taken for granted by too many Memphians, but it’s as magical as it ever was.

“It just makes you feel good,” said James Lake, who has been serving up cold beers at the park since day one. “Plus, it’s great to see all the regulars back for another season. It means you’ve lived for another year.”

Lake pitches his product with rhymes and enthusiasm. He’s a sudsy Dr. Seuss.

Too cold to hold.

Beers almost froze.

Need to be sold.

Icy from the North Pole.

“If I don’t make make money I’ll lose control,” said Lake, continuing the theme. “But tonight is going to be great.”

And so it was, from the beer, to the baseball, to the balmy night. And to the BBQ nachos from the Rendezvous, which were back at the park after some controversial seasons away.

When the Redbirds announced the return of the Rendezvous early this year, it was almost as if they were announcing the return of McGwire.

“It was everything we expected and then some,” said Unger. “We heard from everyone.”

So maybe the Redbirds can recapture some of that old excitement from 2001. The Cardinals have moved on to St. Louis, but Clapp, Lake and much of the other good stuff remains.

As Unger put it, at the risk of going out on a limb: “We’re expecting a record-setting BBQ nacho year.”